Summary
- Nintendo excluded Retro Studios' developers from the Donkey Kong Country Returns HD credits.
- Nintendo's practice of shortening credits in remastered games has faced past developer criticism.
The upcoming release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD confirms the omission of Retro Studios' original development team from the remastered game's credits. Launching January 16, 2025, this Nintendo Switch title remasters the 2010 Wii game.
The Nintendo Switch, renowned for its portability and extensive classic game library, is a leading platform for retro gaming. Nintendo's active remastering and remaking of classic titles, enhancing them with new content and visuals, has contributed to this. Recent examples include the Super Mario RPG remake and remasters of Advance Wars and the Famicom Detective Club games.
This trend extends to the Donkey Kong Country series. Pre-release reports, such as those from Nintendo Life, reveal that Nintendo excluded Retro Studios' staff from Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's credits. Only Forever Entertainment, responsible for the port and enhancements, including 3DS content, receives credit. A brief acknowledgement of the original development team is the only mention of Retro Studios' contribution.
Nintendo's Omission of Retro Studios from Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Credits
This credit condensation aligns with Nintendo's approach to other Switch re-releases. In 2023, Zoid Kirsch, a former Retro Studios programmer (Metroid Prime 1 & 2), criticized Nintendo for excluding original Metroid Prime Remastered credits. He expressed disappointment, and other developers echoed concerns about this "bad practice" of omitting original teams from remaster credits.
Game industry crediting is crucial for developer career building. Crediting original developers in remasters shows appreciation for their years of work on beloved titles. Nintendo also faces accusations of insufficient translator crediting, sometimes employing restrictive NDAs preventing acknowledgement of work on franchises like The Legend of Zelda. Growing public criticism of inadequate crediting practices may necessitate a change in publisher policies, including Nintendo's.
